Ep 1. The Killer Nearby

The Unusual Suspects is a true-crime documentary television series that focuses on the investigation and public attempts to find the culprits involved in solving some of the most perplexing murder cases. The first episode of the show, titled "The Killer Nearby," begins by introducing the case of Sarah Perry, a nineteen-year-old girl who was murdered in her own home. The episode takes place in Fayetteville, a small town in North Carolina, where Sarah was living with her boyfriend Michael.

The episode begins by describing Sarah as a happy-go-lucky, outgoing young woman who enjoyed spending her time hanging out with friends and going out partying. However, everything changes when she is found dead in her home on the morning of June 3, 2013. The police arrived at the scene after Michael called them to report that he had found Sarah lying dead in her bed. The police arrived, and upon closer inspection, they found that Sarah had been brutally murdered.

The police began investigating the case immediately. They analyzed the evidence at the crime scene, interviewed Michael and the people who knew Sarah, and tracked down potential suspects. The police quickly ruled out Michael as a suspect after finding that he had an alibi for the time when Sarah was murdered. The investigation also led the police to believe that the killer might have been someone who knew Sarah.

The episode then introduces several potential suspects, each of whom was connected to Sarah in some way. One suspect was Sarah's ex-boyfriend, Ethan, who had a history of violence towards Sarah. Another suspect was Sarah's neighbor, who was seen leaving her house on the morning of her murder. The episode also introduced Sarah's best friend, Casey, who had known Sarah since childhood. Casey had even been Sarah's roommate before Sarah went to live with Michael.

The police interviewed each of the suspects, but they hit a dead end. None of the suspects had any concrete evidence against them, and the police didn't have any physical evidence that could link any of them to the murder. It seemed like the killer had left no trace behind.

The episode then turns to the community, which was in shock after Sarah's murder. The police enlisted the help of the citizens to find any leads that might lead them to the killer. The community came together, and the police received several tips. However, nothing substantial came from these tips.

As the investigation progressed, the police finally got a breakthrough when they found Sarah's water bottle in the woods near her house. The water bottle had DNA on it, which turned out to be a match to a man named Eric, who had a previous criminal record for assault.

The police quickly arrested Eric, and during questioning, he admitted to murdering Sarah. Eric revealed that he had broken into Sarah's house to steal money but had been caught by Sarah while he was rummaging through her belongings. Panicked, Eric had killed Sarah to cover his tracks.

Overall, the first episode of Unusual Suspects takes viewers through a rollercoaster of emotions, from the shock of discovering Sarah's murder to the relief of finally catching her killer. The episode showcases the police's tireless work and the community's support in solving the crime, making it an engaging watch.